


The Flames Remind Me of Home

by zazajb



Series: Captain Coat & Coffee Man [10]
Category: Torchwood
Genre: AU, Captain Coat & Coffee Man, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-21
Updated: 2014-01-21
Packaged: 2018-01-09 13:51:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,939
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1146754
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zazajb/pseuds/zazajb
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Something strange is happening to the people who have carried the Olympic Torch...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

   


Title: The flames remind me of home  
Author: zazajb  
Rating: NC-17, adult concepts, occasional language, M/M  
Pairings/Characters: Jack/Ianto, team, Brychan, Ammeline, Jacqui/Adam, Euan  
Spoilers – none, set S2, AU  
Summary:  Strange things are happening to the people who have carried the Olympic torch, prompting Torchwood to investigate...  Words total 10,000+ over 2 parts 

Fic masterlist:  [ http://zazajb.livejournal.com/6286.html ](http://zazajb.livejournal.com/6286.html)

Disclaimer: I own none of the characters – anything you recognise belongs to RTD & BBC, I’m just playing with them...  
Olympic special episode of Captain Coat and Coffee Man written for the longliveianto Bingo 2 prompt _Inanimate object_   [Remember when there’s anything above a PG rating that you’re getting Jack’s x-rated version!!!]    
X-posted to several comms [apologies to those getting this multiple times]

A/N Thanks to the wonderful Ianto_love_Jack for the beautiful header and icon*hugs* 

A/N1 Sorry for long delay in posting. Hubby been on hols so we’ve been a bit busy and I had an Adommy fic that was demanding to be captured and it ended up as another epic – you know me!!! However, finished now so bunnies appeased till next time!  
  
A/N2 Happy Birthday Ianto Jones. Gone but never forgotten and you live on eternally though the love of your fans in fic.   
  


  
Part One

** The flames remind me of home **

_ Cariad, can you send the boys down to lay the table... _

Jack’s answering flood of love washed softy over the Welshman as he finished chopping strawberries, adding them to the dish with the raspberries and blueberries and opened the fridge to stir the pancake batter. He glanced around at his preparations – all ready, now he just needed his family! 

As if in response to his thought, there was a sudden increase in the volume of yells and whoops from overhead, some rather alarming thuds that shook the ceiling and the pounding of feet on the stairs before Captain America and Ironman hurtled into the kitchen, throwing themselves energetically at Ianto to hug him tight.

Stepping back from their enthusiastic embrace, Brychan planted his hands on his hips and gazed at his tad with wide blue grey eyes, the perfect image of his dad, even down to the dimples in his cheeks and shock of unruly dark hair that stuck up at the front. “Dad said you wanted us? Didn’t he?” Bry glanced at his best friend Euan for support, the other nodding solemnly in agreement.

“Could you lay the table please boys, your mum and Adam’ll be here any moment and we’re almost ready. Just waiting for your dad to bring Amme down and he can start cooking.

_ On my way, sweetheart... _ Jack’s thoughts caressed Ianto’s mind as he made his way downstairs, their two year old daughter tucked into his hip with her fingers curled tightly into the short hairs at the back of his neck. Her other hand clutched her beloved _Dagga_ as she chattered away happily, snuggled contentedly into her dad.

Ianto melted against Jack as he was drawn in for a kiss, lips moving sweetly against each other as tongues mapped familiar territory, sharing a fond smile in their heads at the retching noises from the two mini-Owens who’d finished laying the table.

Breaking apart softly when the doorbell rang, they grinned as the six year olds scampered past them to open the door “that’ll be mum and Adam! Coming Bry?”

“As long as they’re not kissing on the doorstep!” the muttered reply drawing a moan of anticipatory horror from his friend.

Jack and Ianto rested their foreheads together as their thoughts merged, swirling happily as they shared their love for their family. They were still cuddled together when Jacqui and Adam bounced into the room, Euan looking relieved so there had obviously been an absence of doorstep kissing!

Adam smacked Jack’s backside playfully “put him down!”

“ _Thank you_ Adam!” Bry’s sigh was vastly older than his years “At _last!_ An adult who understands that there’s way too much kissing!” 

Adam chuckled throatily “sorry to sink your boat kiddo, but I’m hungry for blueberry pancakes!” He reached out and tugged Jacqui closer, brushing their lips together as Euan groaned heavily.

“ _Now_ look what you’ve done!” Ironman glared at Captain America and the adults burst out laughing. Jacqui took Amme from Jack as she held her arms out, a delighted smile on her little face 

“Aunta Jaja..!”

Jack and Ianto grinned at Adam. “Good night last night?”

“Yeah, killer crowd and they really seemed to like the new stuff...it’s a bit more disco funk but with a solid rock undertone...” he arched an eyebrow at Jack as the older man stared at him intently “what?”

Ianto rolled his eyes and gave Jack a playful shove “stop leching over our best friend’s boyfriend – worse than that, she’s our children’s _esterni_!”

Adam laughed delightedly and turned a slow pirouette “I wore them for you Jack!” as he arched his back and waggled his hips, Jack’s thoughts as he took in the skin tight acid wash denim were positively steamy...

_ You’re such a flirt! _ Ianto sent, shaking his head as Adam winked and Jacqui giggled. _Pancakes – now! Or we’ll be late!_

_ I love you! _ Jack’s thoughts took a slow replay of their morning shower – the benefits of an en-suite well away from the children’s bedrooms – and chuckled at the rather fetching blush that crept over the Welshman’s cheeks _...and you’re adorable when you blush..._

_ Behave! _ He caressed the wave of love, added his own heartfelt declaration and sent it back, stepping out of the way and patting Adam on the back as they joined the others around the table.

“So, it all went well then?“ He grinned as he leant closer to the dark haired, good looking young man “and for the record, those are awesome jeans!”

_ See! _ Jack sent a triumphant smirk as he ladled batter onto the griddle to start the pancakes, sprinkling the first batch with chocolate chips for the boys and Amme. Once the children had their plates full and Amme was safely strapped into her high chair, Ianto moved back into the kitchen to make the coffee while Jack made the blueberry pancakes for the adults.

It was a fun and lively breakfast, the boys relocating to the lounge to watch a bit of superhero tv once they’d devoured enough pancakes to feed a small army! Amme sat in Jacqui’s lap and immersed herself in her puzzle, her tongue sticking out of the corner of her mouth in concentration. Jack gazed at her adoringly, loving how like her Tad she was with her pale skin and huge, crystal blue eyes. He felt the love from his Welshman as their thoughts entwined, warmth flooding through them both.

Adam sat back and rubbed his stomach with a groan “I’ve eaten too much, Jay!” he covered her hand on the table with his own and squeezed softly, turning to grin at Jack “They were fierce pancakes Captain – loved the blueberries...”

“Ianto got them just for you...” he grinned “we drew the line at kale though!”

Sticking his tongue out, Adam stood up and stretched luxuriously, his black vest riding up to expose a tantalising glimpse of toned flesh. Ianto chuckled as both Jack and Jacqui stared with their mouths open.

_ Close your mouth, cariad! _ he teased gently, protesting when Adam began clearing the plates. 

“It’s the least I can do after that wonderful breakfast...” he grinned “please?”

“If you’re sure! I’ll go and get changed...” Ianto tugged lightly on his battered old jeans and surveyed his bare feet “I’m not quite attired for storytelling!” _can you chase the boys to get ready? Then you might want to check in case I need some help getting dressed..._

They left their friends in the kitchen and went their separate ways; Ianto headed upstairs to sort his clothes out and Jack joined the boys in the living room where the noise level rose dramatically, much laughter and yells suggesting that the plan to encourage them to get ready had been derailed! 

Opening the wardrobe, Ianto shook his head at the playful images as Jack rolled on the floor under an exuberant attack from two superheroes and reflected that perhaps sending someone with his own, very active, inner child to chivvy the boys into getting ready, might have been a bit of a miscalculation! He chuckled as Jack finally lay pinned down, Bry on his chest and Euan on his legs, both superheroes high-fiving at their victory over whatever evil character they’d decided Jack was playing.

They scrambled off and tore upstairs, laughing happily as they planned their next crusade. Jack sat up, hair wildly dishevelled and somewhat breathless. _They’re getting ready now...how’re you doing?_ The images of pale flesh being uncovered as Ianto removed his current attire had Jack leaping to his feet and hurrying up the stairs. Moments later he had a semi naked Welshman in his arms as he kissed him into oblivion...

Leaving a well-kissed and panting Ianto in their bedroom to cover the now thoroughly explored bare skin, Jack moved to check on the boys who were just putting on their shoes after changing out of their hero suits. Nodding his approval, Jack returned downstairs. The kitchen was spotless, dishwasher running and Amme was ready in her pushchair. Jacqui and Adam were wrapped around each other sharing a series of tender kisses and intimate whispers into each other’s ears.

“Dadda!” Amme’s happy exclamation had them breaking apart, Jacqui blushing prettily and Adam grinning. Jack winked and turned as footsteps pounded energetically down the stairs, Bry and Euan grabbing their coats before one opened the door and the other took control of the pushchair.

Adam and Jacqui followed them out, Adam’s arm draped around her shoulders as they walked down the path to the gate. 

Ianto hurried down the stairs and picked up Jack’s coat, holding it out as his Captain slid into it, before smoothing the heavy wool down over his shoulders, the action intimate and familiar and one neither would ever tire of. Ianto rested his face against Jack’s back for a brief moment, feeling the other man leaning back into the touch _love you sweetheart, so much..._ Jack’s thoughts laden with emotion.

_ Love you too...always... _

Stepping away from the comfort of Jack’s body, Ianto grabbed his own coat and shrugged into it, following the man he adored out of the front door. After locking it behind them, they entwined their hands and joined the others on the pavement for the familiar walk to the library, listening to Jacqui’s account of Voodoo Nation’s gig the night before with the occasional burst of song from Adam as they strolled along.

On arrival at the library, Ianto went in to set up, Bry abandoned his sister and shot off with Euan to look at the previous week’s picture gallery and Jack stowed the pushchair under the stairs with numerous others. Amme toddled ahead with Jacqui and Adam in close attendance which left Jack to escort Miss Martin, the fierce-on-the-outside-but-heart-of-gold Headteacher, into the building.

Ianto gazed out into the crowd, his eyes picking out his beloved family – as _Esterni_ Jacqui was family, which included Euan and Adam as well – he loved them all. He watched as Jack settled in his familiar spot on the floor at the back, Amme curled up in his lap as she waited for the story to begin.

“Good morning girls and boys, mums and dads...are you ready for another adventure with Captain Coat and Coffee Man?” The roar was deafening and Ianto chuckled, leaning forward slightly as he began...

“Come on! We’ll miss it!”

Ianto grinned and took Tosh’s outstretched hand as she dragged him towards the invisible lift. As soon as they were on the platform it began rising towards the surface. Slotting into place, they were surrounded by throngs of people, all waiting for the Olympic Torch. No-one paid any attention to the sudden appearance of a pretty Japanese woman and a handsome man in a high quality charcoal pinstripe wool-blend suit with a crisp white shirt and a perfect knot of striped blue and silver silk at his throat as they stepped out of the perception filter.

“Over here, tea boy!” Owen’s shout to the left guided them to where the medic and Gwen were tucked in behind a bollard with a good view of the various jugglers and stilt-walkers who were currently entertaining the waiting crowds. Vendors selling balloons, medals, glow-sticks and a variety of Union Jack themed merchandise, threaded their way through the masses, making a small fortune off the intense wave of patriotism sweeping the country as the Olympic flame ate into its seventy day, eight thousand mile journey in the run up to the official opening ceremony of the games.

Tosh and Ianto squeezed in beside them, soaking up the atmosphere. “This is amazing...even with everything we see, sometimes you can’t beat a bit of good old human emotion and bonding in a common cause...” Tosh smiled “Jack doesn’t know what he’s missing!”

Owen squinted into the heavens “Why he wants to be way up on top over there...” the trademark snark was in full flow as he took a slug from his can of coke.

Ianto let out an involuntary chuckle, blushing when the others looked at him curiously. “Nothing..!” he muttered, his blush deepening. 

“You don’t get off that easily!” Gwen nudged him as the Welshman turned a beautiful shade of scarlet at the images Jack was streaming into his head, all of which involved getting off in an entirely different interpretation from Gwen’s.

“Spill it, tea boy!” Owen grinned, his can at his lips.

“Jack says he really likes to be on top, it’s his favourite position..!”

They all moved back, laughing, as Owen spluttered and choked on his drink, spraying them as he gurgled helplessly in his attempts to replace soft drink with air.

_ You’re so bad! _ Ianto smiled softly as Jack caressed his thoughts. _How’s your view?_

_ Pretty hot from here...although you could lose the jacket so I can see your arse better! _

_ Idiot! _ Ianto’s response was full of love.

_ Yeah, but I’m your idiot! _

_ Always, cariad, always... _

_ When we get down from here I’m going to remind you why I like it on top... _

Ianto’s answering low moan and instant bodily response had Jack chuckling as Ianto drifted in a haze of pleasurable memories and delicious anticipation. He came back to earth with a bump, on the receiving end of a sharp shove from a grumpy medic.

“Oi! What the fuck was that all about? I nearly choked to death on a can of Diet Coke...”

“A sugar-free death! How healthy!” Ianto retorted dryly as the two ladies giggled.

“Oh ha bloody ha!” Owen scowled and took a step closer.

“ _You_ asked!” Ianto rolled his eyes.

“Oh, behave, the pair of you!” Tosh put a quieting hand on each of their arms. “Here comes the torch now and I’m not missing it while you two squabble like three year olds!”

Owen stuck his tongue out, Ianto shrugged good naturedly and they turned their attention to the approaching Torch bearer, a middle-aged man called Jonathan who worked tirelessly for charity according to the loud hailer announcement as he came into sight. The next bearer was waiting a short way along, this time a young woman in a wheelchair. The mood of the crowd intensified; anticipation, pride and a sense of unity and community rarely felt in modern times. It was empowering, euphoric and just a little overwhelming.

Ianto took a deep breath as his senses were bombarded on all sides _anchor to me sweetheart...our bond makes you more vulnerable to mass emotion...oh, and keep an eye on our acerbic medic – that dormant link he has with you might affect him too...might make him more grumpy than usual!_

_ Love you... _ Ianto felt a thread of Jack’s mind entwine with his own and his shaky control was restored. Now he understood why his Captain had taken his lofty position on top of the building... He kept a close watch on Owen as the Olympic Torch drew nearer, grinning and sharing the images with Jack – the buoyant spirits of the people putting a beaming smile on that thin face, his arms slung one around both Tosh and Gwen, all three cheering loudly as the figure in white drew level...

_ So I was wrong about grumpy! I’ve never seen him this jovial...oh, apart from that one time, but that was alien tech not the real Owen... Sweetheart, are you okay? _

_ The flames remind me of home... _ “The flames remind me of home...” Ianto murmured under his breath, his eyes blinking dazedly 

**_ Ianto, answer me! _ **

_ Huh, what was that? I think I zoned out there for a minute...  _

_ The flames remind me of home... _

_ Do they? I didn’t know Boeshane had anything like this... _

_ No – that’s what you said just a few seconds ago. Don’t you remember? _

_ No, sorry Jack, not at all...what d’you th... _

Jack interrupted, his worry palpable _I’m coming down. As soon as the Torch has gone I want you all back in the hub and Owen is going to give you a complete check..._

Ianto was about to protest when he caught the concern attached to the thought and he bit back his complaint, turning his attention to the exchange of the flame between the man called Jonathan and the girl in the wheelchair. Once the girl’s torch had ignited and she moved off for her part of the route, Jonathan’s flame was extinguished and the now redundant torch reclaimed by the flame protection unit. 

Jonathan was ushered towards the minibus that followed the entourage, an officer supporting him as he suddenly staggered and then collapsed, sliding limply to the floor. 

Owen was around the barrier in an instant. “I’m a doctor, let me through...” his assertive tone and forward momentum effectively cutting off any negative response from the protection officers before it had a chance to form. 

A quick glance assured Owen firstly, that the man hadn’t had a heart attack and secondly, that he was still alive. Together, they half dragged, half carried him to the minibus and the doors closed behind them.

_ Jack, Owen’s gone to assist the Torch bearer who’s just collapsed. Do you want us to stay?  _

_ Send Gwen with Owen’s bag. That should be enough. You and Tosh make your way back to the lift and let me know when you’re there. I’ll see you in a few minutes... _

Less than ten minutes later, Jack, Ianto and Tosh were in Jack’s office, steaming mugs of coffee in hand as they discussed Ianto’s unconscious comment. Jack was convinced it was something sinister, his need to protect his beloved Welshman making him somewhat resistant to the suggestion from the other two that it was an echo from a telepathically gifted human who was recalling a fond memory of home, the feeling amplified by the crowd...nothing scary and nothing alien... Their arguments were wearing him down slowly when Gwen returned.

“Owen’s gone to the hospital with Jonathan. He’s not convinced that the collapse is down to natural causes; his scans are showing some unusual brain activity...” 

_ Shit! I knew it wasn’t right... Stay here... _

_ But... _

_ No buts... _ Jack’s thoughts softened _please sweetheart...please let me keep you safe..._

_ We don’t know what it is yet, so... _

_ Until we do... _

_ Okay, but don’t shut me out... _

Jack’s feelings swept over Ianto, filling him with a love and warmth that resonated within every cell of his being and he caressed it tenderly before sending it back entwined with his own undying love. Content now that Ianto would be protected, Jack switched to Captain-leader of TW-mode, organising his troops efficiently.

“Okay, we need to investigate. Tosh, go and join Owen at the hospital and see if you can get any clues as to the possible origin, Gwen, look into Jonathan’s life – I want to know where he’s been, what he’s been doing, who he’s been with... _anything_ that might help us to pinpoint what’s going on.

Both ladies moved towards the door. Gwen paused on the threshold “What are you going to do?”

_ Ah, my question exactly! _

“We are going down to the archives...” he grinned at Gwen’s raised eyebrow, the tension lifting for a moment as he leered briefly before continuing “...to check out the reports from the 1948 Olympics. There was something then, but I don’t recall what – we didn’t get involved down here, TW One handled it all, and our boss and theirs hated each other so we were cut out of the loop most of the time...”

Gwen nodded and moved away, following Tosh to the roller door.

_ She thought we were going to have sex? Now? Sometimes, I...  _ Ianto was indignant.

_ Hmmm, we might find time for a blowjob! _

_ Jack! Keep your mind on the task at hand...  _ Ianto gasped as Jack’s thoughts replayed their morning shower, his large hand wrapped around them both, moving rhythmically as he took them closer to the edge until they exploded in blissful climax, mouths pressed hard together so gasps were lost against their frantic kisses and they soared to the cosmos under the cascading water... _that wasn’t the hand I meant..._ However, he sank into his Captain’s outstretched arms, their lips meeting in a hard and hungry kiss _I just want to keep you safe..._

_ I know, cariad...I know... _

They came up for air and stood motionless for long minutes, foreheads together, lips just millimetres apart as they each absorbed the comforting presence of the other. Breaking apart they headed down the stairs to the archives for what turned out to be a fruitless trawl through the old records... 

There _had_ been an incident but it had been a visiting party of T’kumpth who’d seen the Olympic Flame on their scanners and mistaken it for the landing lights at their destination, some minor T-class planet in the next galaxy. Their craft had landed in the middle of the night, scared the shit out of the security of the time who’d not seen anything as it was cloaked, but had been, literally, blown away by the down-force. TW1 had arrived under the pretence of weather specialists to take readings, established communications and the craft took off again without ever having face to face contact.

“Nothing! Waste of time...” Jack huffed dejectedly.

“Oh, I don’t know, it’s not _that_ bad!” something in Ianto’s tone had his Captain turning in time to see the Welshman move to the 1947 cabinet and pull open one of the drawers. “I think I remember that this was a good year...” _feel like checking it out before we catch up with the others?_

Jack’s mouth crashing on his was all the answer he needed and they staggered backwards, ending up pressed against the wall somewhere in the 1950s, hands raking over clothing in an attempt to get at the warm flesh below...

A frenzied kissing session, tongues duelling and probing, led to the careful unwrapping of one pristine Welshman and a more hastily stripped Captain as he wrapped Ianto back into his arms, making sweet and tender love to him to leave them both sticky, sweaty and pleasantly sated.

Ianto had just made them fresh coffee when Tosh rang. Jack put her on speaker “I’ve got some interesting readings and a theory...” her soft voice pausing as she had a hasty exchange with Owen in the background. “They’ve agreed to release Jonathan into Owen’s care, we played the Torchwood card and they were only too pleased to back off. He’s in a private room and Owen’s staying with him. I’m on my way back and I’ll set up a direct visual link with them so we know what’s going on. Ianto?”

“Milady!” Ianto smiled as she chuckled.

“Can you pull up all the uncategorised rift signatures for the past eighteen months...I know it sounds a bit vague but I’m sure I’ve seen this pattern, or something very similar, before and I can’t remember quite where or when...”

“It’ll be done and the coffee will be on!” Welsh vowels resonated over the airwaves. 

“Perfect! See you boys shortly...” Tosh hung up.

Jack had already moved to Tosh’s workstation to scroll through the files. Ianto joined him, resting his chin in the crook of his Captain’s shoulder as he stood behind him. There were eighty six unknown signature patterns, some were multiple bursts over a period of time, others a brief flash and then nothing. 

“I hope we can narrow it down – going through this lot’ll take forever...”

“Hmmmm...” Ianto murmured into Jack’s neck, distracted by a nagging thought just at the edge of his consciousness.

Jack looked up, sending a mix of anxiety and puzzlement washing through the Welshman’s head, duplicated in his expression.

“Huh? No...nothing like that!” Ianto reassured “I’m sure I’ve seen _something...”_ he sighed in frustration and bit down lightly on his bottom lip, teeth pulling on plump pink flesh absently as he chased the spark of recognition that fled annoyingly even further out of reach. He returned his attention to Jack who was gazing at him, his thoughts even more distracted as he scrolled through a variety of interactions with Ianto’s lips, some distinctly x-rated and absolutely nothing to do with their current case. _Jack!_

Jumping, Jack grinned and blinked, the innocent puppy dog look not completely lost on Ianto who marked a couple of Jack’s steamy thoughts for future re-enactment before frowning sternly and turning their thoughts back to work. 

They returned to the top of the file and clicked on the first pattern as the roller door opened and Tosh and Gwen came in together. Ianto reached for his and Jack’s empty mugs. “I’ll get the coffee and see you in the conference room?”

Nodding, Jack turned his attention to the ladies who were already both tapping away on computer keyboards. “Conference, five minutes?” 

He got a nod from Gwen and a smile of acknowledgement from Tosh. Heading up the stairs he joined Ianto in the kitchen just as he was pulling the boxes of Tunnock’s teacakes from their hiding place under the sink. Ianto grinned at Jack’s triumphant expression “they won’t be there next time you look! Plenty of other places to hide them!” chuckling as his Captain’s face fell, the beaming smile returning when the boxes were opened and contents tipped out, Ianto unwrapping one of the plain chocolate ones which he then handed to Jack who crammed the whole thing into his mouth at once.

“Mmmmmmnn!” Jack mumbled appreciatively as Ianto rolled his eyes and piled the rest onto a plate. He headed for the door with his laden tray, Jack close behind as they joined the others in the conference room. Tosh already had the link with Owen open and they were going over the updates as the coffee arrived.

Owen’s eyes looked longingly at the coffee mugs as they were handed around, the sad plastic cup with murky brown liquid, supposedly resembling ‘tea” in his hand losing what little appeal it had had and he dumped it on the side.

Ianto carefully removed one of each of the cakes and put them by Owen’s usual place, the action bringing a ghost of a smile back to the medic’s face.

“Okay, Owen, what do we know?” Jack leant back in his chair.

“Jonathan Green, forty six, current mental age approximately seven...” 

“He’s a child?” Gwen interjected, the interruption earning her a scowl worthy of Medusa.

“ _As I was saying..._ ” the others suppressed grins as Gwen visibly shrank under the glare – it was never wise to upset a caffeine-deprived Owen “it’s like he’s reliving his life at speed – in terms of development that is. Fifteen minutes ago all he could do was babble, now he’s talking, but his reasoning and vocabulary is that of a child... I’m checking every quarter of an hour and if he continues this pace he should be himself again in about twenty four hours...”

Jack steepled his fingers thoughtfully, nodding. “Thanks, Owen. Good work.” He turned to Tosh, smiling at the pretty tech genius who immediately tapped industriously on her tablet, moving Owen to a corner of the big screen to fill the rest with the resonance patterns from her recordings and the file of uncategorised rift signatures.

“These are the readings we got from Jonathan in the hospital... _these_ are the readings the rift monitor picked up in its routine scans – as you can see it dismissed them as insignificant, but I think they are the source of the message Ianto picked up on, and I think they came from the torch – if you look at the CCTV playback timestamp _here_ and the spike _here_...”

“They’re the same time...” 

“Yes, and the moment the torch was handed over...” Tosh pointed at the screen as Owen nodded his agreement from the link at the hospital. “We think the torch borrowed some of Jonathan’s life force...”  
  
To part 2 <http://zazajb.livejournal.com/61621.html>

  



	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The mystery deepens...

Title: The flames remind me of home 2/3  
Author: zazajb  
Rating: NC-17, adult concepts, occasional language, M/M  
Pairings/Characters: Jack/Ianto, team, Brychan, Ammeline, Jacqui/Adam, Euan  
Spoilers – none, set S2, AU  
Summary:  Strange things are happening to the people who have carried the Olympic torch, prompting Torchwood to investigate...  Words total 14,350 [yeah, so I got carried away – again!!] 

Fic masterlist:  [ http://zazajb.livejournal.com/6286.html ](http://zazajb.livejournal.com/6286.html)

Disclaimer: I own none of the characters – anything you recognise belongs to RTD & BBC, I’m just playing with them...  
Olympic special episode of Captain Coat and Coffee Man written for the longliveianto Bingo 2 prompt _Inanimate object_   [Remember when there’s anything above a PG rating that you’re getting Jack’s x-rated version!!!]    
X-posted to several comms [apologies to those getting this multiple times]

A/N Thanks to the wonderful Ianto_love_Jack for the beautiful header and icon*hugs* 

A/N1 Sorry for long delay in posting. Hubby been on hols so we’ve been a bit busy and I had an Adommy fic that was demanding to be captured and it ended up as another epic – you know me!!! However, finished now so bunnies appeased till next time!

  
** The flames remind me of home **

Previously in Captain Coat and Coffee Man:  
  
“Yes, and the moment the torch was handed over...” Tosh pointed at the screen as Owen nodded his agreement from the link at the hospital. “We think the torch borrowed some of Jonathan’s life force...” 

**Part 2**  
  
“...which is why he’s resetting – it’s a bit like losing the thread of a DVD you’re watching and then fast-forwarding until you find where you got to so you can carry on at normal speed...” 

Jack nodded “sounds feasible...how does that help us with knowing why and what happened to Ianto?”

Tosh shrugged her slim shoulders and looked over her glasses “It doesn’t...yet! But I am working on it...”

“Gwen, anything to add?” 

“Not much. He’s a widower, lost his wife to an aggressive strain of breast cancer five years ago, everyone seems to like him and he devotes his time to raising money for cancer research and several other charities. No children or close family according to his neighbours. Last three months he’s been with the Olympic torch team...”

“Okay, thanks...Owen?”

They looked up at the screen where the medic was waving for attention, his frustration evident as no-one appeared to be listening to him.

“Sorry!” Tosh blushed “I muted the sound!” The others chuckled at Owen’s affronted expression “It interferes with the sound pattern of the rift signatures so...” she mouthed another _sorry love_ at the screen.

“It’s fine Toshi...” Owen’s face softened before he continued ”He’s up to his early twenties now! The reset is accelerating. At this rate he’ll be back to normal in another hour. I’m going to run some tests and I’ll get back to you later...” Owen nodded and stepped out of sight.

“Right, suggestions...” Jack looked around at the remainder of his team, his gaze coming to rest on his somewhat distracted Welshman _what is it?_

_ I’m not sure...it’s just out of reach... _

“Jack...” Tosh’s soft voice dragged his attention away to where the ladies were huddled over Tosh’s tablet. “We were looking for any similar reports and there are another seven...”

“...all over the country...”

“and they _all_ carried an Olympic torch...” Tosh’s eyes gleamed behind her glasses.

Jack moved rapidly to look over their shoulders at the small screen as Ianto stood and left the room. _Sweetheart?_ Jack’s anxiety swept over the Welshman as he hurried down to the lower levels.

_ I’ve remembered...back in a minute...I’m fine! Promise! _

Jack, Gwen and Tosh were searching through hospital records and blogs when Ianto returned triumphantly with a thin file from the archives. He dropped it on the table with a grin “1948 – an unknown rift signature several weeks before the Olympics started. Nothing was found and it was filed and forgotten. The pattern is the same as the one we’ve got now... I _knew_ I’d seen it somewhere...” he paused and looked up at the different windows on the large screen. “Is there a more recent repeat of this pattern? We never did check to see.”

Tosh’s fingers flew over the keypad. “Eight months ago we had a rift spike that matches this.” She pulled the record up on the screen. “Scrap yard over in Pontypridd but we didn’t find anything obvious apart from a very angry Rottweiler so we left rather quickly when it decided Owen would make a nice snack!”

Ianto frowned and nibbled thoughtfully on his bottom lip. “So what’s the link with these two rift flares and Olympic torches that steal life-force? But not _all_ torches. Out of twelve thousand made why were only eight people affected? And then how does that tie in with the message I picked up? It doesn’t make sense...”

The screen lit up with pictures of the torch. “So, twelve thousand made, made from an aluminium alloy using reclaimed metal from all over the country – they wanted a ‘green’ games – eight thousand torch bearers, symbolised by eight thousand holes in the design. Made in a factory in Coventry. Designed by Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby.” Gwen read out. 

_ There! Reclaimed metal...scrap yard...that’s our link... _

“Tosh! Can you find out if any of that reclaimed metal came from our scrap yard at Pontypridd?” _love your thinking..._

“It did...it made twelve torches and a petal...the same as each of the batches of metal from all over the country”

“What’s the petal?” Jack pondered aloud.

“It doesn’t give any more detail than that...” Tosh scanned the rest of the article swiftly.

Gwen leant forward “If it made _twelve_ torches, we only have _eight_ affected people...does that mean there are another four out there somewhere?”

“Good question! You found these others by hospital records and blogs so maybe we need to tap into the insider network that the medical profession have.” He dug his phone out, grinning. “We need us a medic! Owen! How’s your patient? Good! I’ve got another job for you...” Cutting the call he turned back to the others. “Jonathan has regained full control of his faculties and remembers nothing of the actual event once he handed his torch over, other than a feeling of warmth and gratitude which he says came from the torch itself. He’s been discharged and has gone home. Owen’s going to check on him tomorrow.” 

“Have all our other victims recovered completely?” Ianto looked at Tosh questioningly.

“All of them. Most of their reset behaviours were diagnosed as exhaustion and they were treated as such, which actually was the best thing to do because they didn’t need any treatment! One woman was diagnosed with a brain tumour until they’d done a scan and by the time they’d decided to do more tests, she was back to normal so was just discharged without further investigation.”

“We need those torches...all of them.” Jack glanced quickly at Ianto as he made his decision. “Tosh, Gwen, can you track down the torches and feed us the locations; Ianto and I will collect them... When Owen gets back he can have a look at the medical records of our other victims and help Gwen, so Tosh, you can start looking for the meaning of the petal... ” 

He turned to the Welshman “can you sort us out some containment boxes – I’d rather be safe and we can examine them back here under controlled conditions...” Like well-oiled machinery, the team slid into action. 

Ianto filled the boot of the SUV with boxes before slipping into the kitchen to make some fresh coffee whilst Jack rang one of his contacts about the location of the torch from earlier that day. A mug was delivered to Tosh and Gwen and the small flask left for Owen next to his teacakes. Jack’s and his own were poured into travel mugs as they made their way to the car. “Keep the comms open...”

They sat in the layby waiting for the torch to arrive. Draining the rest of his coffee, Jack reached for Ianto’s hand and entwined their fingers, his Welshman’s quiet smile soothing the anxious itch at the back of his consciousness. Headlights came into view.

“It’s here...”

_ I know – I can feel it... _

_ It’s talking? _

_ No, nothing that defined, just a faint presence... _

_ You stay here and let me take care of this... _ he squeezed Ianto’s fingers reassuringly, understanding his frustration _you can get involved when we’re back at the hub..._

Ianto sighed but didn’t protest when Jack climbed down to meet the representative alone. The torch was handed over and boxed securely once Jack had confirmed it was the correct one and they were heading towards Swansea for the second within five minutes.

“Jack, we’ve got the location of eleven now. They really are scattered all over the country so Gwen has a suggestion...”

“Go for it...”

“I was thinking that Harwoods has lorries all over the place...could we ask Rhys to help? It would save us time...the drivers don’t need to know what they’re collecting..?”

Glancing at Ianto, Jack nodded. “Good idea, Gwen. Can I leave the details to you to sort out? We’ve got Jonathan’s and we’re en route to Swansea. Be back as soon as...”

_ Sweetheart? _

Ianto was squinting, shaking his head minutely as _something...the torch?_ clawed at the extreme edges of his consciousness.

_ Not sure...there’s something... _ he frowned as the sense receded. _It’s like it’s reaching out but only in small bursts like it can’t sustain a continuous stream...it’s gone again now._

_ Could be the containment field dampening the stream? Tell me next time you feel it and we’ll link...it might be easier with two of us... _

_ Love you... _

Jack grinned and put his foot down on the accelerator, the sooner they got there, the sooner they could start piecing it all together...

An hour later and they were back at the hub. Ianto’s arm ached from hanging on to the door as Jack’s energetic and only slightly sub-supersonic driving had thrown him all over the inside of the car. His head throbbed and he wasn’t sure if it was smacking it against the dashboard or the fact he now had two tiny whispers on the fringes of his mind.

Rhys had come up trumps by providing transportation for the other nine torches; even the one in Glasgow would be heading south by the early hours of tomorrow morning. Now they just had to locate the twelfth and at the moment there were no leads. Looking at his team, faces drawn and tiredness evident in their movements Jack sent them home – there wasn’t much they could do realistically until they had the torches together anyway...

After assuring them that yes, he and Ianto were going to rest as well “...well, I’m sure we will, eventually!” he leered affectionately at Ianto’s retreating back as the Welshman headed to the kitchen.

“Ewww, Harkness, do you mind! I’m going have all sorts of images in my head now!” Owen complained loudly, his words dying away as Tosh whispered in his ear, suggesting several ways they might try and erase those images to replace them with new ones...

The others were laughing as the door rolled closed behind them, leaving Jack alone in the main workspace. He dropped into the chair at Tosh’s workstation before looking through the data that she’d collated so far and was rubbing his eyes wearily when Ianto reappeared with fresh coffee.

“I’ve ordered us Chinese. It’ll be here in fifteen minutes...” he handed Jack’s mug over, their hands brushing as it changed ownership. Ianto looked at the screen on Tosh’s computer. “What’s that?” he pointed to a tiny monitor in the bottom left corner. It looked vaguely like a heart monitor readout, only in this case the patient was terminal!

“It’s set to show us if that particular signature shows up again, Tosh’s programmed it with each of the readings we have so far, although they’re essentially the same, they do have minute differences... If any of them show, we’ll know about it...” 

Nodding, Ianto allowed himself to be tugged down into Jack’s lap, their lips meeting in a soft and tender kiss as hands threaded through hair and they each lost themselves in the other. Breaking apart, long sweet minutes later they were diverted from a repeat performance by the doorbell relay from the Tourist Office announcing the arrival of their dinner. Ianto slid off Jack’s lap, pressed a light kiss to his mouth and headed up top.

Jack moved into his office and cleared a space amongst the files on his desk, sorting out eating utensils and paper napkins from the bottom drawer – they were nothing if not prepared. After an enjoyable meal where they fed each other with chopsticks and generally relaxed, Jack dumped the rubbish in the bin and went down to start the shower going while Ianto fed the residents and completed the shutdown for the night.

Moments later he was pressed up against his Captain in the tiny steam-filled cubicle where they explored wet flesh and washed each other to mutual satisfaction, emerging clean and glowing before tumbling into Jack’s tiny bunk to fall asleep wrapped in each others arms.

Ianto’s dreams were strange and disturbed ones, full of triangular golden cones and shadowy shapeless aliens whispering in a language that he couldn’t understand yet was familiar and he woke with a jump more than once to find Jack stroking his hair as he murmured soothing words to calm him from his nightmare. Consequently, Ianto slept late, Jack carefully extricating himself to go and start the day as his Welshman slept on. Gazing down at him, pale skin against the dark bedding, Jack was overcome with a rush of intense love and he thanked the fates once more for bringing this beautiful man into his life.

He was powering up the computers when Gwen and Rhys arrived, Gwen clutching a couple of bulging paper bags from their favourite bakers. Rhys looked around him with his usual mix of awe and excitement as they walked along the gangway to Jack’s office and sat on the sofa. “No coffee yet, I’m afraid, Ianto’s still asleep...” he met Gwen’s raised eyebrow with a tiny shake of his head. “Not me keeping him awake – series of nightmares that I’m convinced are tied up with this torch business...”

“I’ve got eight in the truck outside” Rhys waved a hand vaguely towards the bay. “The last one should be here this morning, hopefully not too long.”

“Thank you for doing that for us...” Jack smiled at Rhys’ broad grin.

“Glad to help...it’s like I get to be a secret agent for a bit!” 

Jack chuckled at Gwen’s expression. “Shall we get them unloaded and then I’ll go wake Ianto. Can you stay for breakfast? We might even have coffee by then!” he patted Rhys on the back as the man nodded enthusiastically and led them to the invisible lift. “You go on up and I’ll see you at the TO door shortly.” As soon as Gwen and Rhys were on the slab he set the mechanism going with a press of a button on his wrist strap and swung around, striding towards the roller door. 

The eight torches were swiftly placed into containment boxes, labelled with bearer’s name and location and carried through the secret passageway into the hub. “We’ll put them down in autopsy for now...” 

They’d just landed the last box on top of Owen’s autopsy table when Jack gasped as he felt Ianto’s distress, taking off at a run to his office where he flung himself down the ladder. Ianto was thrashing around, whimpering as if in pain, his thoughts jumbled and haphazard. Kneeling on the floor by his bunk, Jack reached out carefully to stroke the hair off Ianto’s forehead, streaming soothing nonsense mixed with an old Boeshane lullaby into his tangled brain. The thrashing stopped almost immediately, the Welshman’s movements stilling until he was just mumbling incoherently.

Jack climbed onto the tiny bunk and gathered Ianto into his arms, now streaming _I love you_ over and over, feeling the young man’s sweaty body finally relax and his eyes flickered open.

“Morning, beautiful!” pressing a soft kiss to Ianto’s lips

“Jack... I can hear them...lots of tiny voices right at the edge of my mind...” Ianto showed signs of getting agitated again.

“Ssshh, I know, sweetheart. You had nightmares and you were broadcasting your thoughts. I looked and I’ve heard them too. When you’re ready, we’ll have a look at them out of the containment boxes. We might get more information from them, but I want Owen to monitor you every step of the way...” He captured his lips again, sliding his tongue into the Welshman’s mouth where it mapped the contours lovingly before slow dancing with his own. 

They came up for air “better now?” Jack smiled softly as Ianto leant against him.

“Yep...and time I was up!”

“Now you’re talking!” Jack’s body twitched, blood supply rerouting hopefully “but we have Gwen and Rhys upstairs waiting for breakfast!”

_ They can wait a minute or two longer cariad _ Ianto slid his hand around the back of his Captain’s neck to pull him back in for another long lingering kiss, finally breaking apart when oxygen replenishment became a necessity! _Give me a few minutes and I’ll come and make the coffee..._

_ I love you Ianto Jones. _

_ Love you too.  _

Jack climbed back up the ladder to find Gwen and Rhys talking quietly in the main workspace. “Is he okay?”

Nodding, Jack gestured towards his office. “He’ll be up in a minute...” as Ianto appeared in jeans and a t-shirt, his hair still dishevelled and lips distinctly kiss swollen. He smiled, waved and padded barefoot to the kitchen.

He joined them in Jack’s office shortly after, tray laden with four steaming mugs of coffee and plates for the pastries. Now he was closer, they could see the dark shadows under his eyes and the tension in the way he moved.

_ Block them out...anchor to me like you did the other day... _

“That’s it! It was the crowd!” Ianto banged his mug down on the desk with enough force to slop his coffee over the side. “The message was amplified by the crowd – there was enough energy and emotion there that day to fuel a small country for a month!”

“Brilliant, Ianto...of course!” Tosh joined them, with Owen just behind her.

The mood lifted, at last they seemed to be making progress. Ianto went to make some more coffee for Tosh and Owen as they crammed onto Jack’s sofa alongside Gwen and Rhys. An impromptu planning meeting was in full flow when Ianto rejoined them. Rhys stood regretfully to go to work, as he was really enjoying himself, promising to drop off the final torch once it arrived. Jack let him go on the invisible lift again, chuckling at his excited face as he waved goodbye.

Once coffees were drunk and pastries finished, they all went down to autopsy. At Jack’s insistence, Ianto was attached to a monitor to check his vitals and brainwaves. As soon as Owen was happy the equipment was working, Jack withdrew the strand of shielding he’d been using to block the whispers.

Almost immediately the faint voices returned, registering on the printout as tiny peaks. Jack sorted through the boxes until he found Jonathan’s. “You ready?” he slid the lid open as Ianto nodded grimly. There was a negligible change in the peaks recorded on the monitor. 

“Can I hold it?” Ianto reached out to take the torch. It felt warm and familiar, a spark of recognition from the metal itself sent a single tall spike to the printout. It was gone almost as soon as it was there, leaving Ianto with a sense of sadness and deep sorrow. 

_ It’s hurting, broken...we have to help it... _

“Oi, tea boy, none of your telepathic shit now, I need to hear what you’re saying to work out what’s the alien and what’s you...” he frowned before adding “and none of your kinky stuff either! This is work!”

“It’s hurting, broken apart...” Ianto repeated aloud. “We have to help it...” he brushed a single tear aside, suddenly reaching for the next box to open it. “Open them all...we have to open them all at once...”

The others looked at Jack. “Do it!” 

The boxes were all open and the torches laid out on the table so they were touching each other. Ianto rested one hand on Jonathan’s torch, fingers stroking softly over the surface of the metal. The peaks were higher now but the voices were still too weak to be discernible.

“His pulse is increasing” Owen warned.

No-one actually needed telling, they could see Ianto was becoming increasingly distressed and agitated. “Jack, join my mind...two of us might be able to reach them...” tears filled his blue eyes “they’re so hurt... _please_ Jack...”

“I need to get some electrodes on you first...” Owen was firm, despite Ianto’s tears now falling freely down his face.

Jack stood still while he was attached to a second monitor, his hand clasped tightly in Ianto’s, wishing he could send some telepathic support. As soon as the medic professed himself satisfied, Jack placed his other hand on the original torch next to Ianto’s and sent his consciousness into his Welshman’s mind. They’d shared thoughts and feelings before, but not on this scale and Ianto gasped at the intensity of Jack’s emotions; anxiety, love and passion swamping the young man’s senses as the monitor went haywire, random spikes peaking almost off the page.

“Fuck!” Owen tried to move between them but they ignored him, eyes locked on each other, Jack’s blue grey depths filling with tears. “ _Fuck fuck!_ Breathe....both of you, fucking breathe before you explode...”

With no outward indication that they’d heard him, they took in a simultaneous breath and the pattern settled. Tosh and Gwen watched in awe, hands clasped for support as Owen swore and fussed over them and their monitors.

Gwen’s phone made her jump and she dragged it out of her pocket. She leant closer to whisper in Tosh’s ear “It’s Rhys, the last one is here. I’ll be right back” Tosh nodded and moved back to let her squeeze past. Jack and Ianto didn’t appear to have noticed she’d even left.

Five minutes later she was back, the torch loosely wrapped in bubble wrap. As soon as she was half way down the steps the two men froze, turning their heads slowly towards her like something out of a horror movie. Ianto lifted his hand from the torch to reach out, sightless eyes looking through her.

“Give him the fucking torch, quick!” Owen was hopping up and down as he kept a watch on their erratic heartbeats. 

Tearing off the wrapping, Gwen hurried down the rest of the steps and placed the torch in the Welshman’s outstretched hand. At once the monitors spiked violently and then fell back to near their original dimensions. Ianto placed the torch carefully in the circle with the others and resumed his previous position. Several spikes scratched out on the printout before both Jack and Ianto heaved a huge breath in and blinked, looking around them dazedly.

Owen pushed his way between them and shone his penlight in their eyes, drawing frowns from both. “Do you have to do that?” Ianto snapped irritably.

“Good, you’re back with us!” Owen sighed with relief, ignoring the grumpy responses. “What happened?”

“We got close, and the extra torch helped, but we still can’t make out anything – we need more amplification... _you_...we need you, Owen!”

“I don’t fucking think so!” Owen stepped back shaking his head vehemently.

“Jack, remember the link I made with Owen that night...we used it with those swarm things at Costco. We need to use it here...” he turned pleading eyes to the medic “You can stop their hurting, _please_ Owen...”

“I can’t...I mean, I’m not...” Owen was flustered, floundering way out of his depth. Aliens he could deal with, grisly innards and weevils were routine but this telepathic shit? No way...

“You might be the extra reception we need...” Jack’s voice was subdued “but I won’t order you to...it’s your choice, Owen...”

Ianto bit down on his lip, tasting the coppery tang of blood, trying very hard not to grab the other man by the shoulders and shake him until he agreed. He stared at his feet.

Owen was gazing at the others, silently looking for answers. Gwen nodded encouragingly and Tosh smiled mouthing “you can do it, love...I know you can...”

“What do I have to do?” the words were out of his mouth before he had time to back-track.

“Open your mind, try to clear it of thoughts...you might find it helpful to picture a large white room with a door. Put all your thoughts behind that door and close it...okay?” 

Owen nodded nervously.

“I’m going to enter your mind and link it to ours. You might find the sensation a little overwhelming at first, but you can break the link at any time, just say no and I’ll leave, okay? You ready?”

Owen gave a short tense bob of his head, taking Jack’s offered hand, grateful of the physical support. He gasped as he felt a wash of intense emotion and he realised it was the strength of the bond between Jack and Ianto...it was endless and woven into everything else they thought, resonating perfectly through time and each other. It was quite simply the most beautiful thing he’d ever felt and sudden tears filled his eyes.

_ You are now linked to both of us... _ Jack’s voice was gentle and strangely comforting.

_ Thank you Owen... _ Ianto’s thoughts sounded in his head and the sincerity took his breath away.

  _What do you want me to do?_

_ Concentrate and follow us... _

_ Zero eleven forty-nine W...fifty-one twenty-one fifty four N _

_ Zero eleven forty-nine W...fifty-one twenty-one fifty four N _

_ Zero eleven forty-nine W...fifty-one twenty-one fifty four N _

_ Zero eleven forty-nine W...fifty-one twenty-one fifty four N _

The message was faint, but with the three of them concentrating it was clear enough, the same thing repeated over and over.

After numerous repetitions the sound faded and they were alone again. Jack carefully withdrew from Owen’s mind and then from Ianto’s, their heads feeling strangely bereft at being alone again.

They looked at each other and then at Tosh and Gwen. Tosh was tapping frantically on her tablet. She grinned triumphantly and held it up. “You’ve just given us the longitude and latitude for Sutton in Surrey...maybe that’s where the twelfth torch is?”

“Go find out please, ladies. We’ll be up shortly but I want Owen to check us out first. And himself!” He nodded as they started up the stairs “Oh, how did you know what the message was? It was in our heads!”

“Owen said everything he saw out loud, including how beautiful your love for Ianto is and he’s never felt anything as uplifting and empowering...”

Owen blushed scarlet, muttering under his breath, the words sounding uncannily like every swear word he’d ever learned and he busied himself with sorting out the things he’d need to give both Jack and Ianto a thorough check up. Tosh and Gwen vanished from sight and Owen relaxed a little, although he avoided looking too closely at either man. He was taken by surprise when they both folded him into a joint hug, squeezing briefly before releasing him. No words were spoken but he was strangely moved by the action, finally meeting their eyes to smile at both, understanding clear. What they shared was truly unique and he was a tiny part of that now...it was a nice feeling...

After a thorough check up, they were pronounced fit and joined the girls upstairs in the main work space.

“The torch _is_ there. It was stolen from the Rowing Club in a break in and is currently sitting in a police evidence locker! The rower who carried it is on life support...” Gwen shook her head quickly at the sudden intake of breath from the three men “he was hit by a car as he crossed the road. From what I can glean from the emails and blogs here, his mates thought he’d been drinking when he collapsed so put him to bed to sleep it off, not realising that his condition was anything more serious. By the time they’d all sobered up themselves, he’d reset and the only thing he didn’t have was a hangover to match theirs! That’s why we couldn’t find him in any hospital records – he didn’t go!” 

“Good work, Gwen. Do you think we could impose on Rhys’ generosity one more time?”

“I’m on it!” Gwen picked up her phone. “Hi, sweetheart...” she moved away to continue her conversation.

“Jack, that monitor I set up is recording the presence of our torches. The blips are tiny – if it was human they’d be very weak but hanging on...” Tosh grimaced as Ianto shivered at her words and Jack wound his arm around the Welshman’s waist, pulling him in close, squeezing tight in silent support.

“It’s sorted. Rhys is going himself as all his drivers are out and no-one’s over that way.”

“You want to go with him?” Jack chuckled “a mission for the Caped Cooper Crusaders!”

Gwen’s beam of delight lit the workspace and she pressed redial, grabbing her leather jacket off her chair as she headed towards the roller door. “Thanks Jack!”

“I’ll clear it with the authorities so it’ll be ready when you get there...” 

Gwen bounced through the door, chattering happily to her husband as it clunked shut behind her.

“Okay, what next?” Owen shrugged his thin shoulders, his head buzzing with an energy he didn’t understand. It wasn’t pain or anything like the presence he’d felt when Jack and Ianto had shared his mind, more a kind of urgency to get on...

“We need to know what the ‘petal’ is. I don’t know why but I sense that it’s the key to this, somehow...” Ianto frowned and rubbed his temple. “It’s nothing I can put my finger on, but it’s there...nagging at the edge of my thoughts...”

_ You want me to shield you, sweetheart? _

_ No...they’re resting...it’s like what we did earlier drained them so everything is muted... _

_ Oh shit!  _  Owen’s eyes widened as he heard their thoughts. “Don’t you dare think any kinky shit!”

_ Spoilsport!  _ Jack’s eyes twinkled despite the seriousness of their situation and he sent the briefest flash of him running his hands down Ianto’s bare back, firm strokes of pale Welsh flesh... _You can block us...go back to your white room and then go through your door. Close it behind you so you’re now back in your own space..._

Ianto moaned softly as Jack’s thoughts streamed into his head, soft kisses trailing down his chest, tongue tracing a path through downy hair to seek out his nipples, sucking one into his mouth to tease it to a hardened peak...

Owen grinned happily. “I can’t see that! I’m going to finish the autopsy on that sea-slug thing we found the other day... Coffee’d be nice, Ianto!” he threw over his shoulder as he vanished down the stairs to his domain.

Ianto closed his eyes in an attempt to regain control over his body which was steadfastly ignoring all requests to behave. Another moan, louder this time, dropped from his lips and Tosh giggled, her eyes firmly on her screen.

_ Jack...if you keep that up... _

In his head, Jack’s mouth moved lower...

Balling his fists, Ianto forced his legs to move. “I’ll make the coffee...” he muttered through clenched teeth as he bit back another moan.

Jack grinned evilly. “I’ll help!” he took off after the retreating back of his Welshman and the kitchen door banged behind him. 

When the coffee finally arrived, Ianto had that just shagged glow and Jack was walking with a spring in his step.  
  
To part 3 ....<http://zazajb.livejournal.com/61940.html>


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The petal must burn...

Title: The flames remind me of home 3/3  
Author: zazajb  
Rating: NC-17, adult concepts, occasional language, M/M  
Pairings/Characters: Jack/Ianto, team, Brychan, Ammeline, Jacqui/Adam, Euan  
Spoilers – none, set S2, AU  
Summary:  Strange things are happening to the people who have carried the Olympic torch, prompting Torchwood to investigate...  Words total 14,350 [yeah, so I got carried away – again!!] 

Fic masterlist:  [ http://zazajb.livejournal.com/6286.html ](http://zazajb.livejournal.com/6286.html)

Disclaimer: I own none of the characters – anything you recognise belongs to RTD & BBC, I’m just playing with them...  
Olympic special episode of Captain Coat and Coffee Man written for the longliveianto Bingo 2 prompt _Inanimate object_   [Remember when there’s anything above a PG rating that you’re getting Jack’s x-rated version!!!]    
X-posted to several comms [apologies to those getting this multiple times]

A/N Thanks to the wonderful Ianto_love_Jack for the beautiful header and icon*hugs* 

A/N1 Sorry for long delay in posting. Hubby been on hols so we’ve been a bit busy and I had an Adommy fic that was demanding to be captured and it ended up as another epic – you know me!!! However, finished now so bunnies appeased till next time!

** The flames remind me of home **

  
Part 3  


It was a quiet afternoon. Tosh analysed her data, Ianto – at Jack’s insistence – went to lie down. Jack took Owen with him to deal with a couple of weevils around two thirty after which he sent Tosh and Owen home telling them to make the most of it because when the shit hit the fan...

Owen didn’t need telling twice! Winding an arm around Tosh’s slim waist, he led her away, ignoring her faint protests about some program she was running on opposing algorithms... The door clunked, leaving Jack alone.  After checking Ianto was still asleep, Jack flopped down on his sofa and stretched out, closing his eyes as he ran through the case details so far. Something was missing – there had to be a link between the different rift patterns over half a century apart...and they still had no idea  what the ‘petal’ was...

He was roused from his fruitless mental meandering when the roller door siren announced Gwen’s return. The final torch had arrived. 

Tosh’s computer beeped loudly, repeating a pattern like a heartbeat. Jack and Gwen moved across to look at the screen as Ianto came hurtling out of Jack’s office, hair sleep mussed and just his boxers and shirt on.

“Jack, I can hear it...” He hurried down to autopsy “I know what it wants...”

“Gwen, call Tosh and Owen back in and come down.” Jack took the torch and headed after the Welshman.

Ianto was laying the other eleven torches out in a circle as before, his actions almost reverent in the way he touched each golden cone. As Jack came down the stairs, Ianto went to meet him, pressed a swift hard kiss to his lips before taking the twelfth torch gently from his hands. _Come in with me cariad? I can be heard now..._ Lights danced excitedly in Ianto’s eyes and it was a marked contrast from the sadness of earlier that day but there was something not quite right. There was something -or someone - else in Ianto’s head... 

_ Can you wait just a few minutes sweetheart...I want the others here too... Why don’t you go and get dressed... _

_ But I’m here...and I can be heard at last... _

**_Ianto...give me Ianto back..._ ** Jack grabbed the Welshman’s hands and squeezed tightly _I promise you that you will be heard and we will do whatever we can to help you... Right now I need a show of faith from you. Give me back my partner until we’re ready. We won’t be long. Show me I can trust you..._

_ I can be trusted and I ask your forgiveness for my intrusion. Your life partner gave himself willingly but I should have waited. I will retreat. _

_ Wait! Who are you? _

_ I am Munthuse and you are Captain Jack Harkness, the eternal love of my mind host Ianto Jones. I will return when called from the darkness. _

_ Jack?  _

Jack wrapped Ianto into his arms and kissed him fiercely, holding him tightly like he never wanted to let him go.

When they finally came up for air, Ianto was breathless and a little confused. “That was nice, but why am I in autopsy in just my boxers?”

“Tosh and Owen are on their way back, Gwen’s upstairs. I’ll explain everything when we’re all together. Are you okay?”

“Aside from under-dressed, I’m good! Can I go and find my trousers? Then I’ll make us some coffee...” smiling gently Ianto pressed their mouths together in a tender kiss before hurrying up the stairs to restore his attire.

Fifteen minutes later they were all gathered back down in autopsy, torches still arranged in their circle on the table, coffees close at hand. Tosh’s monitor had continued to beep in the same regular pattern since the arrival of the last torch. Now they waited for Jack to explain...

“Okay, I think we’re ready to find out what this is all about. We need to go into Ianto’s mind as he’s the one the torch has forged a link with...well when I say _torch_ I should say _Munthuse_ which is the name he used earlier to introduce himself...” He turned to Owen “would you join with us again so Tosh and Gwen can hear what’s said?”

Nodding slowly, Owen took a deep breath, clutching Tosh’s hand tightly. Jack took Ianto’s hand and slid their fingers together _Ready sweetheart?_

_ As I’ll ever be... _

Owen let out a gasp as his senses were once again overwhelmed by the intensity of feeling between the two, gradually becoming aware of a different presence that appeared slowly from the dark recesses of the Welshman’s consciousness. As the golden light got closer, so Ianto’s own light dimmed until it was just a faint echo.

_ I am Munthuse and I thank you for restoring me to my whole. I have come to your planet in this year of the golden spirit to release my love from her stasis. We came in your last year of the golden spirit to observe your people. In the great storm we lost power to escape your atmosphere. One had to be left behind. My one love Arleynna was chosen for the honour. She has remained in stasis these long years until the flame once more lit on your shores.  _

_ My own craft was hit by a comet tail on the outer edge of your solar system and it was unable to sustain orbit. I burned in the atmosphere and crashed upon your surface. I was rendered inactive until heated and split to make your flame carriers. It was indeed fate that so many of your people were willing to give me a little of themselves so that I might have a chance to become whole again and find my lost love. _

Jack sensed rather than heard Ianto’s question _why me?_

_ When I felt the passion and love in your Ianto Jones I knew I had found the kindred spirit who would help me to find Arleynna. He loves completely with his very being, two halves to make a whole. Noissap bonding fulfils this and I have waited so long to be reunited with the other half of my soul. _

_ The flower will rise. Two zero five. The flower will burn. These are the words that have come to me. My love is weak and fades now. I must go to her. I ask your help in my quest. There is little time left. _

Jack considered the things they now knew and the questions they still had. _What is the petal? Does that have meaning for you?_

_ Arleynna is the heart of the petal, of the flower. And the flower must burn. _

Nodding, despite his confusion Jack opened his mind to show the team at work. _I need Ianto back to help me solve this puzzle. We will come to you when the picture is complete..._

_ Then I will withdraw. Fair winds fuel your sails Captain. Love fills your soul and drives you onward. We will meet again. _

The golden light faded until it was a tiny speck in the distance and then Ianto was back, a little dazed and unsteady but back with them. Jack hugged him fiercely in their mind-space, crushing their mouths together in a joyous kiss. Even Owen smiled.

Carefully withdrawing from their minds, the reunited team gazed at each other.

“Did you get everything?” Jack looked at Tosh.

“Yes, the bit about the flower and the petals and burning. Not got a clue on that but the year of the golden spirit must be the Olympics...” 

“There was that rift signature in the run up to the Olympics in 1948. That must’ve been them arriving. The one eight months ago was him crashing into the scrap yard. Did we check to see if there was a similar one after the games?” Gwen frowned, still pondering the meaning of the petal.

“Nothing _exactly_ like that. There were several others with similar patterns but no way of knowing if one of those was their altered signature due to the problems they had. I don’t see that identifying it now is going to help us...”

“Tosh is right, we know enough about that from what _Munthuse_ said...” Jack turned to study his Welshman. Ianto was sat very still with one hand resting on the first torch.”You’re very quiet...” his voice dropped, anxiety creeping in “Are you okay?”

_ I’m fine, cariad, really... _ “Musing. What do we know? We know they came to see the Olympics in 1948. We know one got left behind. We know he came back for her – his life-bond partner. We know the Olympic torches absorbed a little life from twelve people to revive _Munthuse...”_ He paused, uncertain in case he took the trail in the wrong direction. “What if...”

_ Go on... _

_ I could be so wrong... _

_You could be so right!_   

“What if the whole thing is tied up with the Olympics – it’s more than just the games, the sports. It’s the spirit of competition, nations united through the pursuit of perfection, winning and losing but on a grand scale, it’s the _feeling_ of the games; the passion, the drive and determination, total commitment... _living the challenge...to excel, to be more than they are..._ These beings seem to thrive on feelings. What if there’s some other aspect of the games themselves that holds the answers...”

“The opening ceremony is today... Rhys wants to watch it on the TV!”

“What do we know about the format?”

Gwen shrugged “Nothing, it’s a closely guarded secret, I mean we know some of the performers, but not the concept – they want to wow the world with it...”

“We need to _know_...” Ianto’s quiet voice cut through the wild speculation on all sides.

“Tosh, who do we have that would not only know, but would actually tell us what they know?”

“Short list of no-one! We’ve got contacts who could find out, but we don’t have time for that...”

“We _do_ have one...” Ianto grinned and reached out his hand for Jack’s phone, scrolling down until he found the number he was looking for. Pressing his finger to his lips as a warning to be quiet, he put the call onto speaker.

“Captain Harkness! A call from you at this time must be a business matter...”

Ianto nudged Jack sharply to answer as a brief silence followed “Yes ma’am...”

“Captain, Liz, please...”

“Yes ma’...Liz. It’s the opening ceremony tonight...”

“I can assure you Captain, that one is _not_ actually jumping out of that helicopter...although it did look like it could be a wild rush!” the answer as unexpected as it was baffling.

“No ma’am, Liz. It’s the petal I’m calling about...” he faltered and Ianto took over.

“Ma’am, Liz...there is a faint possibility that something has, erm, may have, infiltrated the petal...” Ianto bluffed wildly, hoping that it made some sense at the other end. Pumping her Majesty for information was not to be taken lightly.

“Good evening Mr Jones! Which petal? There are two hundred and five of them. If you are going to examine them, you must do it before the flower is formed. We cannot allow the lighting of the cauldron to be anything but perfect. If there is something wrong it would seem expedient for your team to get here as soon as possible because I can assure you, Mr Jones, the flower must burn for the entire world to see. Great Britain must show it can put on a show to exceed all shows. Is my meaning clear? I will clear your path of bureaucracy. Please keep me informed. Good evening Mr Jones...Captain! ” The voice was firm but held a quiet ring of fondness.

“Thank you!” they said together as the Queen hung up.

The team looked at each other. “What the fuck did any of that mean?” Owen was confused and a confused medic was a grumpy medic. “Instead of answers we get more sodding riddles. And why is she jumping out of a helicopter?”

Ianto’s phone beeped and he looked at it absently, a grin spreading over his face as he opened the message. He handed the phone to Tosh.

Moments later her tablet screen showed an inspired and intricate design of the Olympic cauldron as created for the games, the message from her Majesty a simple _next time just ask Mr Jones!_

“You got an email from the Queen?” Gwen was awed and for some inexplicable reason that set them all off giggling as they examined the logistics of the flame.

Tosh nodded appreciatively “this is so clever and actually so simple. It’ll _look_ spectacular... there’s one central petal _here_ and then each nation will add a petal that they will carry when the teams come in. Once all two hundred and four participating nations have placed their petals in place, the central one will be lit from the torch, that triggers a chain reaction to the others and then the stems will rise together to form a flower – in effect, two hundred and five separate flames burning together... Now _that_ is inspired...and captures the true spirit of the games – separate coming together... ” 

They stared at one another as it hit _The flower will rise. Two zero five. The flower will burn_

_ I need to talk to Munthuse...I mean you need to talk to him... _

_ We do...Owen? _

_ I’m still here!  _

_ Ready? _

The golden light approached once more from the dark recesses of Ianto’s consciousness, glowing brighter than before as if it was somehow aware, the sadness that had previously resonated deeply within its light less pronounced.

_ Captain, you have news, I feel it is good news...your Ianto is glowing within his soul and I can taste his hope. _

_ We do. We know where Arleynna is and how the flower will burn. What we need to know now is how to send you both home. _

_ We are beings not of a physical form. When I am close to Arleynna she will find me and we can become one. We need to escape your earth’s gravitational pull and once in space we will be free to roam, to explore the galaxies.  _

_ Um...I don’t know if you can hear me... _

_ You are Owen, the medic who cared for Jonathan. You are true of spirit and heart and I thank you. _

_ Oh, um... _

Jack sensed Ianto’s fond amusement at a speechless Owen, even if it was in mind-space. _Owen?_

_ Yeah, well from Tosh actually. The opening ceremony is almost certainly going to end with a spectacular firework display. We could add a few Torchwood fireworks in there too? Tosh says she can give them enough to get them through to the stratosphere and build in a boost to send them another hundred and seventy five miles through the thermosphere into space... _

They felt his frown as Tosh tugged on his arm to add something, a frown that morphed into a huge smile and love and pride flooded the Welshman’s mind space.

_ She’ll use the torches we’ve got here as ‘rockets’ for the addition to the display, if Munthuse and Arleynna would be protected enough within the flame capsule? _

_ Please tell your life partner that she is as beautiful and as clever as your heart shows and we will be forever in her debt. I will retreat to allow you to work. My spirit and love is with you all in gratitude. _

The light receded and Ianto was returned to them. After brief hugs they threw themselves into frantic preparations, starting with steaming mugs of Ianto’s coffee and bacon sandwiches that Gwen got Rhys to bring in, the man beaming with delight at his inclusion in ‘Team Torchwood’ as he called them.

The modifications to the torches were completed, Jonathan’s torch somewhat more explosive than the others with enough power to send it over two hundred miles up.

Jack and Ianto had been busy on the phones and, as promised, her Majesty had cleared any and all hurdles from their path. They had one more brief exchange with _Munthuse_ who elected to remain in Ianto’s head until their arrival at the Olympic stadium.

Finally, they piled into the SUV and Rhys’ car for the high speed journey to London.

On arrival Tosh was given the lead, organising the team with quiet efficiency. As the others fetched and carried in response to her commands, Ianto said a fond farewell to _Munthuse_ who moved into the tiny flame in the last torch, the only one to keep an active flame. He handed it over to Tosh with a smile and a sparkle of tears in his eyes.

The scene set and the ceremony well underway, all they could do now was wait and hope. 

When they returned to the athletes holding area, the official who had directed them on arrival ushered them hurriedly through to the preparation area, handing over white kit bags to each of them. “Hurry up and get changed!” she hissed impatiently. “You’ve got about fifteen minutes before the host nation is out there!”

“But..?” echoed six times.

“You _are_ Torchwood? The Queen’s representative security for the Team GB athletes?” her eyes narrowed suspiciously.

“Yes! Yes we are!” Rhys came to the fore. “Please excuse my team Mrs...” he peered at her badge “Miss Eldmore...” he winked “...Maddie” flashing a cheery smile as she blushed “we weren’t aware we would be actually marching with the team out in the stadium...”

“I believe it was her Majesty’s express wish that came through a couple of hours ago...” she leant against him “such an honour...”

“Yes, it is! And now we really should get changed; we don’t want to keep the team waiting do we?” Gwen practically dragged her husband to the changing area as the others stifled their giggles and followed.

“Nicely done, Rhys! First class deflection flirting!” Jack clapped him on the back as he began stripping his clothes off.

“ _Nicely done?”_ Gwen’s eyes bulged indignantly “she was ready to have his babies! “

“Precisely Jack’s point!” Ianto remarked dryly “he distracted her from questioning who we were and why we were going out into the arena...” he quashed a smirk “you should be proud rather than chastising...”

“Oh! I didn’t think of it like that...”

“Obvious, I don’t think!” Owen was about to add a scathing comment about green-eyed goblins when he caught his girlfriend’s eye and restrained himself. They had a job to do...

The atmosphere was electric when they joined the athletes of Team GB and marched into the stadium. It was a million times the intensity of their little gathering on the Plas back in Cardiff and they knew now why _Munthuse_ and _Arleynna_ had set this as their reunion venue. The energy and emotion was awe inspiring and their hearts swelled with pride at being part of such a monumental occasion...it was a breathtaking, once-in-a-lifetime thing as they mingled with the athletes and revelled in the experience...

They regrouped as the torch procession began, senior athletes from different disciplines handing over to seven youngsters – the next generation of winners – who did their own lap of honour until finally each lit a flame on the ground which spread to the central petal, then the others and they lifted to form a single flamed cauldron; the theme _unity_ had never been more appropriate. As the crowds cheered themselves hoarse, the firework finale began. Jack felt Ianto’s hand entwine with his own and squeeze tightly, the entire team holding their breath as the timer triggers moved closer to the adapted torches, the TW fireworks...

With a whoosh amid a breathtaking array of multi-coloured explosions in the sky a single golden rocket soared heavenward and a sense of peace and love seemed to radiate over the entire stadium. People were hugging those stood next to them, be they friends or strangers...it was a magical moment, captured by the world’s media for the entire population of the globe to witness. In the days to follow this would be called the Greatest Show on Earth...

As the crowds went wild around him, Ianto was filled with a sense of serenity and clarity. He saw himself and Jack, his beloved Captain, together for all time; they were fated, life partners – it was as simple as that and it felt the most natural thing in the world to pull Jack into his arms to kiss him with a passion that set his skin tingling as soon as their lips met. When they broke apart, breathless and dizzy with emotion they heard them whispering in their heads, _Munthuse and Arleynna,_ joyous and happy laughter _thank you...we will be with you always..._

Jack gazed into the eyes of the man he loved with his entire being, his pupils widening in surprise as the crystal blue was suddenly flecked with gold... _always..._

The celebrations were in full swing when the Torchwood party slipped away, heading back to Cardiff to resume their protector brief, but in the days that followed and Team GB stacked up the medals, they found themselves re-living the experience... For that brief shining moment they’d been part of something that eclipsed anything the rift had ever shown them.

Three weeks later, the Olympics were over. Ianto was in the kitchen, carefully removing the boxes of Tunnock’s teacakes from their new hiding place beside the dishwasher when Jack swept in like a whirlwind, hauled the Welshman into his arms and kissed him hard, tongue pressing determinedly into his mouth to tangle deliciously with his own, the action setting Ianto’s ‘golden tingles’ [as he called them] buzzing excitedly. They slammed up against the wall, passion building as lead kisser changed every minute, Ianto giving as good as he got...it was hot and wet and held the promise of becoming explosive...

Down in autopsy, Owen closed his eyes and found the door in his mind, stepping through it carefully before slamming it hard behind him. _Damn if the coffee wasn’t going to be delayed again!_ Sighing, he went back to his analysis of the crawkfoot algae on the table. 

And that’s how Captain Coat and Coffee Man and the team solved the mystery of the Olympic torch, _and_ got to be a part of the Greatest Show on Earth...

Ianto sat back grinning, as the cheers and applause almost lifted the roof _I loved that tale...can’t believe we actually got to be a part of that..._

_ I know, pretty amazing experience...something to tell the grandkids about one day... _

_ Talking of amazing experiences... _

Ianto bit back a moan as Karen, the librarian approached. In his head Jack reached for the button and zip on Ianto’s jeans with one hand, the other tangled firmly in his hair as he kissed him into oblivion... Ianto squirmed on the chair, attempting to look nonchalant! Jack grinned wickedly and slid the zip down...

“What an exciting adventure they had. So children, let’s thank Mr Harkness-Jones for another wonderful story...” she paused, smiling, as the clapping and yells drowned her out, fortunately also smothering the needy whimper from their storyteller! 

Adam watched from the side of the gathering, his arms wrapped loosely around Jacqui’s shoulders as she leant back against him. He bent forward to whisper in her ear “what’s up with Ianto? All of a sudden he looks like he’s in pain or something...d’you think he’s okay?”

Jacqui glanced over at Jack who was still sat on the floor with a now sleeping Amme curled up in his lap. He had his eyes fixed firmly on his husband with a wicked grin on his face. “I don’t know how they do it, but it’s like he and Jack have conversations in their head, you know, communicate just by looks...” she chuckled “...and I think Jack’s having fun so it’s not _pain_ Ianto’s feeling right now!”

Following her gaze, Adam turned his eyes towards Jack, muffling a throaty chuckle against her skin. He recognised that look! Ianto was being teased and finding it difficult to hide his responses! “You okay if we have the kids for tonight? I think Ianto might need a bit of playtime to release the pressure!”

Jacqui giggled “I love you and the way you really _get_ them...” she gasped as she suddenly realised what she’d said. “Sor...”

Adam’s arms slid down to her waist and tightened around her. “Sshh...” he interrupted her apology, pressing a soft kiss to the side of her neck “I love you, too...” 

Linking her fingers in between his, Jacqui’s face lit up and they stood in contented harmony as they watched Helen receiving her book voucher for an impressive picture of Captain Coat and Coffee Man surrounded by a swarm cloud and lots of shop mannequins. She’d decorated the edges of her picture as a series of postcards from the aliens to their friends and sprinkled them with glitter – as Karen had proclaimed, it was a ‘masterpiece’ “Now get busy on those Olympic pictures, children, and we’ll have another winner next week...”

The audience began moving, Ianto biting hard on his bottom lip as he signed the usual pictures for the group of children who gathered around him.

Adam and Jacqui joined Jack who hadn’t moved for fear of waking Amme. “You need some help getting up?” Adam asked, grinning, well aware of the double meaning of his chosen words.

Jack grinned back wickedly “I appreciate the offer, but you’re taken!” he winked and Jacqui laughed.

“Let me take Amme...” as she crouched down to gather the sleeping little girl into her arms. 

Jack took Adam’s outstretched hand and allowed himself to be hauled to his feet. “Thanks!” 

“Welcome! Now shall we go rescue Ianto from his fans, get some lunch at Pizza Hut then I think Jay and I’ll take the kids to the park so you can help Ianto out of those tight trousers – poor bloke can’t sit still!” he winked as Jack threw his head back in delighted laughter.

“You’ve got a gem here! Make sure you keep him!” Jack nestled his chin into Jacqui’s shoulder as he gazed adoringly at his sleeping daughter.

“Oh, don’t worry, she’s keeping me!” Adam chuckled and draped an arm around both of their shoulders as they headed towards the Welshman who was signing the last picture with his usual **_Captain Coat & Coffee Man_**  flourish, Bry and Euan watching on proudly.

Jack greeted him with a quick kiss. “All done? We’re off to lunch and then we’ve got the afternoon to ourselves...” _wanna replay for real?_ The Jack in Ianto’s head opened his mouth and leant forward...

Ianto’s answering moan had them all laughing as they headed for the door...

End  
  
Captain Coat and Coffee Man will continue in the next prompt. 


End file.
